After confirming that Chen Mo was truly fine, Zhao Min left the hospital to handle company matters. Xiao Yu went to wash some fruit, leaving Chen Mo alone in the ward.
Silence settled in.
And Chen Mo began to process the technology he had just obtained from the Science and Technology Library.
The moment he focused, a massive flood of information surged in his mind—sharp, vivid, and complete, like it had been branded directly into his memory.
Controllable light nuclear fusion.
That was the energy technology he had chosen.
The amount of technical data embedded in it was staggering. The pain from earlier made sense now—his mind had been overloaded by the sheer density of knowledge. But the reward matched the pain: if this technology succeeded, it would solve the global energy crisis—and potentially reshape the balance of power across the planet.
The core principles and theoretical framework of controllable light nuclear fusion started to unfold clearly in his mind. Bit by bit, a rough model of a fusion reactor began taking shape in his thoughts.
Like with holography, the underlying theory was complete—but the design and practical model would need to be built from scratch.
And therein lay the real problem.
Unlike previous techs, this was nuclear energy.
An area even more sensitive than weapons development. If not handled with extreme caution, the consequences could be catastrophic—not just for him, but for his company, his country, and the world.
This wasn't something he could tinker with alone in a lab. He would need official support, a controlled environment, and airtight secrecy.
As he weighed the possibilities, Xiao Yu walked in, holding a tray of freshly cut fruit.
"You're thinking about something again, aren't you?" she asked, seeing the distant look in his eyes.
Chen Mo smiled, a little sheepish. "Just thinking about some information."
He wasn't lying, but he didn't elaborate. The less she knew, the safer she'd be.
Xiao Yu walked over and sat beside him, gripping his hand. "You promised me. No more research for now. Especially no more projectors."
"I promised," Chen Mo nodded. "Besides, didn't you say you don't want the wedding anymore?"
"I meant it then. I only care that you're okay," Xiao Yu said, her tone soft but firm.
Hearing those words, Chen Mo felt a deep warmth in his chest. He knew what weddings meant to women—how sacred, how important. For her to set that aside, without hesitation… it made his heart ache.
"Alright," he said gently. "No projectors. Even if I do research, it'll be with my little fish beside me. But first, rest. That's doctor's orders."
"Okay." Xiao Yu smiled finally, picking up an apple slice and handing it to him. "Eat something."
"Kiss me first, and I'll eat," Chen Mo said, pulling her gently into his arms with a grin.
"You're so childish," Xiao Yu said, blushing as she glanced at the door. Making sure no one was coming, she leaned in and gave him a soft, lingering kiss.
Half a minute later, she pulled away. "There. Now eat."
"Hmmm…" Chen Mo chewed the apple thoughtfully. "Let me see… is your kiss sweeter, or the apple?"
"You're impossible." Xiao Yu rolled her eyes, laughing and hitting him lightly. "All you do is tease me."
Just then, the door burst open.
"Xiao Mo—!"
The urgent voice came to an abrupt stop.
At the doorway stood Chen Mo's mother, along with Zhen Zhen and Zhang Xinxin. All three paused at the same time—taking in the sight of Xiao Yu still snuggled in Chen Mo's arms.
The next second, Xiao Yu's face flushed crimson as she scrambled to sit up properly.
"M-Mom, Zhen Zhen, Xinxin—what are you all doing here?" she stammered.
"We heard Xiao Mo was hospitalized, so of course we came to check on him," Zhen Zhen said, hiding her smile behind a hand.
"N-no problem at all! Please, sit," Xiao Yu said quickly, waving them to the chairs.
Her cheeks were burning. This was the second time today she'd been caught in an intimate moment—first by Zhao Min, and now by family. She could barely show her face.
Even Chen Mo, usually thick-skinned, was slightly embarrassed.
"Mom, next time, can you knock first?" he muttered.
"What, I need permission to visit my own son now?" his mother scoffed, hands on her hips. "If it weren't for Xinxin, we wouldn't have even known you were sick."
"Come on, Mom. It was just a fever. I didn't want to worry you and Dad."
"Fever?" his mother gave him a sharp look. "I asked the doctor. He said it was due to neural exhaustion from overworking."
Xiao Yu immediately looked down. "Mom, it's my fault…"
"No, no, Xiao Yu." Chen Mo's mother interrupted gently. "I know you care about him. But this boy… always locked up in his lab, and I don't even get to see a grandchild."
Pfft—
Chen Mo nearly choked on his apple.
Xiao Yu, flustered, nearly buried her face in his chest. Even Zhen Zhen and Zhang Xinxin burst into laughter.
"Cough… Mom… how's Dad doing?" Chen Mo tried to change the subject.
"Oh, he's great. Your father, your in-laws, and your cowardly uncle opened that seafood market I told you about. Things are stable, your father's helping out and keeping busy. But really—if you just gave me a grandchild, I'd feel even better!"
"Mom, I'm working on it," Xiao Yu said quickly, regaining her composure. "I've already started preparing my body. Hopefully, next year you'll get your wish."
Chen Mo's mom lit up like a lamp. "Oh, wonderful! Take it easy with work, Xiao Yu. Rest up, buy whatever you need. And if this brat dares bully you, just tell me—I'll deal with him."
"Don't worry, Mom. He treats me like a queen. And we were actually planning to go home with you and Dad for a bit once he's discharged."
Chen Mo gently squeezed Xiao Yu's hand. She always handled the family so well. Even though he rarely made time to talk with his parents, Xiao Yu filled in that gap. For her, he'd truly lucked out.
"Mom," Chen Mo said, "one more thing. When you go home, talk with Dad and Xiao Yu's parents. Let's pick a date. I want to hold the wedding."
Xiao Yu's hand trembled in his.
Her eyes widened in disbelief, gazing at him in stunned silence. If the elders weren't present, she would've thrown herself at him.
Chen Mo's mother beamed. "Finally! You've got the certificate, yes, but a wedding… that's the real thing. Leave it to me—I'll call your dad right now!"
She pulled out her phone and stepped outside the room, a spring in her step. Zhen Zhen and Zhang Xinxin followed, tactfully giving the couple space.
Back in the ward, Xiao Yu stared at Chen Mo, voice trembling: "Is this… really happening?"
Chen Mo smiled, brushing her nose. "Have I ever lied to you? I said I'd make you the happiest bride—I meant it."
"You're not going to sneak off to work on projectors again?"
"Silly girl." Chen Mo chuckled, pulling her close and whispering in her ear. "I'll let you in on a secret. The large projector? Finished. Yesterday at noon."
Xiao Yu's eyes instantly welled up.
"T-then… why are you pushing yourself so hard…?" she whispered, blinking through tears. "You scared me…"
"You cry too easily." Chen Mo wiped her tears and smiled gently. "Your husband finishes a big project, and instead of rewards, he gets tears? Come on, give me something better…"
"You big bully…"
Still sobbing, Xiao Yu leaned in and kissed him hard—pouring every bit of emotion into it. Like she wanted to merge her soul with his.
And thankfully… this time, no one opened the door.